Pastor’s Message – January 2020 
The Bible, the Word of God, speaks to us about newness. As we begin the new year of 2020, let us all take heed to three passages of Scripture that refer to “new” in contrast to “old.” In this article, I will discuss with you three major uses of the contrast between old and new.
Luke 22:20 “In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” (See also I Cor. 11:25;
First, the Bible is divided between the Old Testament and the New Testament. In the Old Testament, the covenant that God had with His people was based upon works. The Old Testament had a vast system of laws and regulations for God’s people to follow and obey. Accompanied with the legal system were rituals and festivals that were required. The concept of the Old Testament is very simple. It might be summed up in this statement. “See if you can keep the laws.” Hopefully, God’s people would conclude that they were not able to obey and keep all the laws. The rituals and festivals were to point them to the true answer, which was coming in history, the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus would take the cup, on the night of His betrayal and announce to the world of “a new covenant in His blood.” Thus, the only real hope for humanity is in a person, the living Lord Jesus, and not in a system of law keeping and performing rituals and attending festivals.
II Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (See also Colossians 3:9-10; Rom. 6:6; Ephes. 4:22-23)
A second use of the concept of newness versus oldness is within humanity. There exists in the spiritual realm an old man or old woman and a new man or new woman. This designation has nothing to do with chronological years on the human body or age. Rather, it refers to the inward spiritual condition of the inward state of the spirit. The question is: “Is the spirit within an individual controlled by the old nature from Adam that rebels against God and God’s ways, or is the spirit controlled by the new nature acquired from the Second Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ? The Bible tells us that when we come to Christ and Christ comes into our lives, we are new persons (II Cor. 5:17). The old no longer needs to dominate and control our lives. We can be “under new management.”
Isaiah 65:17 “For behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.” (See also Rev. 21:1-5)
A third use of the concept of new versus old is found in the universe. Currently, we live in the old creation of earth and the heavens. But, we are waiting for and longing for the new heavens and the new earth. After Jesus returns to earth in His second coming, all that we visibly see of the earth and the sky and above the sky will be changed. God, our Father, is going to create a new earth and new heavens. What will the new creation be like? I am not completely sure, but I think it will be both similar and different from what we currently see and know. Certainly, it will be more than fantastic and above and beyond description by words. Why? The new heavens and the new earth will be meant to last for all eternity. And, how long is eternity? Yes, it is forever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever.……….Amen. Happy New Year!
Pastor Ken Chorle
